Valstrona between Walser culture and mountain trails

Valstrona is particularly impressive around Campello Monti, its Walser tradition and the trails leading into the mountains of Valle Strona. The village of Campello Monti is inhabited only from May to October. You can reach it by car from Omegna or on foot from Forno via the old Stra Vegia trail. This seasonal character is as much a part of the village’s identity as its connection to historic paths, sacred buildings and high-altitude landscapes.

Historic hiking trails with clearly defined stages

The trail from Campello Monti to Pissa dei Danai passes through the Ronco district and the Preasore area before reaching Pissa dei Danai. The Campello Monti–Pissa dei Danai route has been restored and equipped with signposts. Along the way are the Preasore: four small natural stone refrigerators that have been used since the early years of the 19th century. This trail therefore combines a specific historical feature with a route through the districts and landscapes of Valle Strona.

The Campello Monti–Lago Capezzone–Cima Capezzone route begins on trail Z17 by the church of the Walser village of Campello Monti. After passing the Alpe di Capezzone at an altitude of 1,850 metres, it leads to Lago di Capezzone at 2,100 metres and to the Bivacco Abele Traglio. The hike is listed as taking a total of seven hours, with 1,150 metres of elevation gain and difficulty level E, including sections in category EE.

Walser trails and protected natural areas

Another route leads from Campello Monti via the Bocchetta di Campello to Rimella. It is a stage of the Gran Traversata delle Alpi and also forms part of the Walserweg, the Sentiero Italia and the Via Alpina. The GTA section between Rimella and Campello Monti lies within the protected area of the Parco Naturale Alta Valsesia e dell'Alta Val Strona. Around Valstrona, you can therefore encounter both Walser history and long-distance and high-altitude trails.

In summer, a visit to the shepherds of the Azienda Agricola Calzino farm is recommended along the Campello Monti–Bocchetta di Campello–Rimella route. Cheese is made there from cow’s milk and sold on site. This stop connects the mountain route with a specific form of regional farming, without making any general promise about the gastronomic offering of the area as a whole.

Sacred art and local craftsmanship

The buildings and works of art also tell the story of Valle Strona. The former parish church of San Giovanni Battista in Campello Monti was built in 1749 in the late Baroque style. It houses a large painting of Saint Francis attributed to Guercino. The Santuario della Madonna della Colletta also contains two 16th-century wood-carved icons from the German school. They depict the Nativity and the Adoration of the Magi.

The Centro museale naturalistico di Valle Strona Mario Bertolani presents the geological history of Valle Strona and the local rock Stronalit. In Forno, the Museum of Sacred Art preserves liturgical vestments and vessels from the churches and oratories of upper Valle Strona. It displays 500 works from the 15th century and later periods. For cultural orientation, these two places complement the historical evidence of Campello Monti with natural history and sacred art.

The craft profile of Valle Strona includes more than one hundred family-run craft businesses, most of which work with wood. Since 1993, the Walser community Kampel has promoted cultural and scientific initiatives for the development and greater recognition of Campello Monti in Valle Strona. Its annual conference, "Campello and the Walser", takes place on the first Saturday in August.

In Luzzogno, a traditional celebration takes place every three years on 8 September. During it, the municipality erects a long gallery of white cloths, beneath which the procession passes. This recurring festival adds to the picture of a region where religious traditions, Walser history, craftsmanship and mountain landscapes are visibly closely interconnected.

More destinations for planning your trip

For further orientation, you can also visit Antrona Schieranco, Cadarese, Arizzano, Trarego Viggiona, Cissano, Ghiffa, Vignone and Carmine.

Back to the main travel overview: Verbano-Cusio-Ossola.